The Year of the Dragon

I don't know if you've ever read the place mat at a Chinese restaurant to find out what your Chinese zodiac symbol is, but if you have you might know that we are entering into the year of the dragon.  Why do I know this?  Well, it's not because I've been hanging out in Chinese restaurants but because the Japanese also celebrate these zodiac signs.  So if you're interested, we're coming out of the year of the rabbit and entering into  the year of the dragon.

Here's what chinesezodiac.com has to say about the dragon:

Occupying the 5th position in the Chinese Zodiac, the Dragon is the mightiest of the signs. Dragons symbolize such character traits as dominance and ambition. Dragons prefer to live by their own rules and if left on their own, are usually successful. They’re driven, unafraid of challenges, and willing to take risks. They’re passionate in all they do and they do things in grand fashion. Unfortunately, this passion and enthusiasm can leave Dragons feeling exhausted and interestingly, unfulfilled.

While Dragons frequently help others, rarely will they ask for help. Others are attracted to Dragons, especially their colorful personalities, but deep down, Dragons prefer to be alone. Perhaps that is because they’re most successful when working alone. Their preference to be alone can come across as arrogance or conceitedness, but these qualities aren’t applicable. Dragons have tempers that can flare fast!

Health

Considering their hard-working nature, Dragons are healthy overall. They do get stressed and suffer from periodic tension/headaches, likely because they take so many risks. Dragons could benefit from incorporating mild activity into their lives. Yoga or walking would be good as these activities can work both their minds and their bodies.

Career

Dragons prefer leading to being led. Jobs that allow them to express their creativity are good choices. Some good careers include: inventor, manager, computer analyst, lawyer, engineer, architect, broker, and sales person.

Relationships

Dragons will give into love, but won’t give up their independence. Because they have quick, sometimes vengeful tempers, their partners need to be tough-skinned. Dragons enjoy others who are intriguing, and when they find the right partners, they’ll usually commit to that person for life.

So if you were born in 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988 or 2000, then you're the "mightiest of the signs"!

And yes, that includes our very own Cannon...

Dragon Cannon eating his good luck new year's mochi (glutenous rice cake).